Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA.) refuses to take insults from the Republican Party, and rightfully so. During an interview with MSNBC’s Chris Hayes, Waters was quick to unleash her rage on President Donald Trump. Referencing the time he attacked a disabled journalist, Waters said:

‘I just thought that was inhumane. [Trump] does not deserve to represent us in the world.’

When Hayes asked Waters if she wanted to respond to Fox News host Bill O’Reilly’s racist comments about her wig on Tuesday, Waters refused, saying instead wanted to focus on the “issues.”

‘I was looking at the James Brown wig. If we have a picture of James, it’s the same wig.’

Waters went on, sending a powerful message to women around who are the victims of vehemently racist/sexist attacks from Republicans:

‘Let me say this, I’m a strong black woman. I cannot be undermined. I cannot be thought to be a friend of Bill O’Reilly or anybody and I’d like to say to women out there everywhere, don’t allow these right-wing talking heads, these dishonorable people to intimidate you or scare you. Be who you are. Do what you do, and let us get on with discussing the real issues of this country.’

‘Bill O’Reilly and Roger Ailes, they have been sued by women. They’ve had to pay millions out in bonds for harassment and other kinds of things. So, we know about that checkered past, we also know that when a woman stands up and speaks truth to power that there will be attempts to put her down.’

Although O’Reilly later apologized for his “dumb” (cough, racist, cough) comment about Waters’ hair, it still doesn’t erase the fact that he attacked a woman of color over her appearance on national television.

‘As I have said many times, I respect Congresswoman Maxine Waters for being sincere in her beliefs. I said that again today on Fox & Friends calling her ‘old school. Unfortunately, I also made a jest about her hair which was dumb. I apologize.’